EP0416647A2 - Dispositif d'interconnexion optique - Google Patents

Dispositif d'interconnexion optique Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0416647A2
EP0416647A2 EP90117285A EP90117285A EP0416647A2 EP 0416647 A2 EP0416647 A2 EP 0416647A2 EP 90117285 A EP90117285 A EP 90117285A EP 90117285 A EP90117285 A EP 90117285A EP 0416647 A2 EP0416647 A2 EP 0416647A2
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
optical functional
devices
matrix
optical
functional devices
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP90117285A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP0416647A3 (en
EP0416647B1 (fr
Inventor
Kenichi C/O Nec Corporation Kasahara
Shigeru C/O Nec Corporation Kawai
Ichiro C/O Nec Corporation Ogura
Yoshiharu C/O Nec Corporation Tashiro
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NEC Corp
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NEC Corp
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L33/00—Semiconductor devices having potential barriers specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L33/0004—Devices characterised by their operation
    • H01L33/0008—Devices characterised by their operation having p-n or hi-lo junctions
    • H01L33/0016—Devices characterised by their operation having p-n or hi-lo junctions having at least two p-n junctions
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06E—OPTICAL COMPUTING DEVICES; COMPUTING DEVICES USING OTHER RADIATIONS WITH SIMILAR PROPERTIES
    • G06E3/00—Devices not provided for in group G06E1/00, e.g. for processing analogue or hybrid data
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L33/00—Semiconductor devices having potential barriers specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L33/0004—Devices characterised by their operation

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an optical interconnection apparatus, and more particularly to, an optical interconnection apparatus using a matrix of optical funtionable devices.
  • one type of a neural network is structured by integrated electronic devices.
  • an interconnecting portion of the electronic devices may be replaced by optical devices.
  • Another type of a neural network is structured totally by optical functional devices.
  • an extremely large number of interconnections must be done to provide a large scaled neural network.
  • light provides effective means for interconnections among neurons of a neural network, because the spatial transmission of information can be carried out by use of light, and a high density of interconnections can be realized due to no mutual interference of light signals.
  • liquid crystal displays are only used in the optical neural network.
  • the liquid crystal displays have a disadvantage in that an operating speed is ordinarily as slow as several m sec., so that a high speed operation can not be realized.
  • such devices as using non-linear materials or semiconductors are utilized as optical processing devices having high operating speeds in the optical neural network.
  • these devices have a disadvantage in that the high density formation of device arrangement is difficult to be realized, and because a technology for arranging the devices in a predetermined pattern is not sufficiently developed, and electric power consumption is large.
  • Arbitrary connections using optical interconnections having a large number of parallel connections which have been carried out by input signals are realized by using functions of light emission, light response, and information storage of the above described optical functional device.
  • This optical interconnection apparatus comprises a matrix of optical functional devices and a light receiving structure.
  • the matrix includes NXN optical functional devices arranged in a matrix pattern
  • the light receiving structure includes N light receiving devices arranged in a one-dimensional pattern to face the NXN optical functional devices.
  • this optical interconnection apparatus arbitrary optical interconnection are realized by driving predetermined optical functional devices which are selected from the NXN optical functional devices by applying predetermined signals to signal lines selected from N X-axis lines and N Y-axis lines.
  • each optical functional device has ON state and OFF state corresponding to binary code states of "0" and "1", so that the optical functional devices operate as spatial light modulators.
  • spatial light modulated signals are supplied to the light receiving devices.
  • This optical interconnection apparatus has an advantage in that it operates with a speed much higher than that of an optical interconnection apparatus using liquid crystal displays.
  • this optical interconnection apparatus has a disadvantage in that coupling degrees are only set in the connection of information by the binary values of "0" and "1". Considering that this optical interconnection apparatus is applied to an optical neural network, an optical arithmetic and calculating apparatus, etc., it is desired that coupling degrees change continuously between “0" and "1".
  • an optical interconnection apparatus comprises: a matrix of optical functional devices each having at least first and second driving terminals, the first driving terminals being connected to a common electrode in each row of the matrix, and the second driving terminals being connected to a common electrode in each column; and a light receiving structure of light receiving devices arranged in a one-dimensional pattern, the light receiving devices receiving light signals emitted from the optical functional devices; wherein the matrix of the optical functional devices are divided into plural device units each including at least two optical functional devices in the matrix and being optically coupled to a corresponding one of the light receiving devices; and the at least two optical functional devices have light transmitting coatings each having a transmission factor different from others.
  • optical fuctionable devices with low electric power consumption which are based on optical thyristors are arranged in a two-dimensional pattern to provide a light emitting matrix.
  • Driving terminals of the same kind for each device are connected to a signal line in each column and each row by use of common electrodes, so that interconnections of a matrix pattern are obtained.
  • Each device has functions of light emission, threshold, and information storage, and is set into ON state by the application of a voltage larger than a threshold value across two terminals thereof. This ON state is held by the application of a holding voltage smaller than the turning-on voltage across the two terminals.
  • the device which is under ON state emits light by the application of a predetermined additional voltage across the two terminals. This light emission is not obtained in devices which are not under ON state.
  • the devices which are arranged in a matrix pattern are sequentially addressed to be selectively turned on, light emission is obtained from the selected devices by applying a predetermined signal voltage thereto.
  • the emitted lights are supplied to light receiving devices which are arranged in a one-­dimensional pattern, so that signals can be transmitted to designated destinations.
  • optical functional devices which are arranged in a matrix pattern are divided by plural sets of optical functional devices.
  • each set is defined to be a device unit, in which each device is provided with a coating having a predetermined transmission factor different from others.
  • a coupling degree can be changed in the mode of changing light signal intensity.
  • first, second, third, and fourth devices of the device unit are provided with no coating, and first to third coatings of supplying output lights of 1/2 intensity, 1/4 intensity and 1/8 intensity relative to the intensity of the output light in case of no coating, respectively.
  • the first to fourth devices are addressed to be selectively turned on in accordance with a coupling degree, and a predetermined signal voltage is commonly applied to the selected devices among the first to fourth devices. Consequently, coupling degrees of sixteen (24) steps are obtained by changing the selection of the four devices at the time of addressing.
  • the device unit includes n optical functional devices in number, coupling degrees of 2 n steps can be obtained.
  • This conventional optical interconnection apparatus comprises a matrix 41 of NXN optical functional devices 4111, 4112, 4113, 4114, Vietnamese, and a light receiving structure 42 of light receiving devices 421, 422, 423 and 424 arranged in a one-dimensional pattern to face the matrix 41, where the number N is four.
  • the optical functional devices 4111, 4112, 4113, 4114, Vietnamese are connected to signal lines X1, X2, X3 and X4 for input signals by each column, and to signal lines Y1, Y2, Y3 and Y4 for address synchronous signals by each row.
  • the light receiving devices 421, 422, 423 and 424 are connected to signal lines Z1, Z2, Z3 and Z4 for output signals in the light receiving structure 42, respectively.
  • address synchronous signals are sequentially applied to each row of the optical functional devices 4111, 4112, 4113, 4114, arranged by the signal lines Y1, Y2, Y3 and Y4, while destination address signals are selectively applied to each column thereof in synchronism with the address synchronous signal by the signal lines X1, X2, X3 and X4.
  • the four optical functional devices 4112, 4124, 4131 and 4143 are selectively turned on, light emission is obtained from the selected devices, when information signals are applied thereto at predetermined timings. Light signals thus obtained are received by the light receiving devices 421, 422, 423 and 424 of the light receiving structure 42, as illustrated by dotted arrows in Fig. 1. Then, output signals are supplied through the signal lines Z1, Z2, Z3 and Z4 to a following signal processing stage.
  • This optical interconnection apparatus comprises a matrix 10 of 4X4 optical functional devices 1011, 1012, 1013, 1014 Vietnamese which are arranged in a two-­dimensional pattern, and a light receiving structure 20 of light receiving devices 201 and 202 which are arranged in a one-dimensional pattern to face a light emitting surface of the matrix 10.
  • the matrix 10 is connected through matrix signal lines X1, X2, X3 and X4 to an input signal circuit 3, from which destination address signals for designating destinations of information signals, and information signals to be transmitted to the designated destinations are sequentially supplied to selected optical functional devices of the matrix 10, and is connected through matrix signal lines Y1, Y2, Y3 and Y4 to an address synchronous signal circuit 4, from which address synchronous signals are sequentially supplied to the matrix 10 by each row.
  • the light receiving devices 201 and 202 of the light receiving structure 20 are connected through output signal lines Z1 and Z2 to an output signal circuit 5, in which output signals supplied from the light receiving structure 20 are processed.
  • the input signal circuit 3, the address synchronous signal circuit 4, etc. are controlled by a control unit 6.
  • the matrix 10 is divided into four device units 101, 102, 103 and 104 by vertical and horizontal lines 11 and 12, as shown clearly in Fig. 4.
  • Each of the four device units 101, 102, 103 and 104 includes 2X2 optical functional devices.
  • the device unit 101 includes the optical functional device 1011 having no coating, and the optical functional devices 1012, 1021 and 1022 having coatings of transmission factors for supplying output lights having intensities of 1/2, 1/4 and 1/8, respectively, relative to that of an output light obtained from the optical functional device 1011.
  • the device units 102, 103 and 104 have the same structure as the device unit 101. Therefore, coupling degrees of sixteen steps are obtained for light signals supplied from the matrix 10 to the light receiving structure 20.
  • Such a coating is provided on an optical functional device, for instance, by evaporating a metal such as Cr, etc. thereon.
  • Fig. 5 shows one type of an optical functional device having a thyristor structure which is applied to the matrix 10.
  • This optical functional device comprises epitaxial layers which are grown on a semi-­insulating GaAs substrate 33 by molecular beam epitaxy. These epitaxial layers are an n-GaAs buffer layer 34, an n-Al 0.4 Ga 0.6 As layer 35, a p-GaAs layer 36, an n-­GaAs active layer 37, a p-Al 0.4 Ga 0.6 As layer 38, and a p-GaAs layer 39.
  • This optical functional device further comprises an anode electrode 31 provided on the p-GaAs contact layer 39, a cathode electrode 32 provided on the n-GaAs buffer layer 34, an n-gate electrode 41 provided on the n-GaAs layer 37, and a p-­gate electrode 42 provided on a Zn-diffusion region 40 provided through the n-GaAs layer 37 into the p-GaAs layer 36.
  • This optical functional device is a device having properties of a threshold value and light emission, and is turned on to shift into an operating state by the application of a voltage equal to or higher than the threshold value across the anode and cathode electrodes 31 and 32 thereof.
  • This operating state is held by applying a voltage equal to or higher than a holding voltage across the anode and cathode electrodes 31 and 32.
  • the optical functional device emits light by the application of a predetermined voltage lower than the threshold voltage and higher than the holding voltage thereto. Otherwise, an optical functional device which is not turned on due to no application of the threshold voltage thereto does not emit light, even if the predetermined voltage is applied across the anode and cathode electrodes 31 and 32 thereof.
  • the optical functional device which is under the operating state is controlled to be back to non-operating state by the application of a voltage lower than the holding voltage.
  • This optical functional device is of a response speed as high as several hundred MHz.
  • the n and p gate electrodes 41 and 42 function as electron and hole extractors to achieve high-speed turn-off.
  • the address synchronous signals 5 are supplied from the address synchronous signal circuit 4 to the matrix signal lines Y1, Y2, Y3 and Y4, and the destination address signals A and information signals I are supplied from the input signal circuit 3 to the matrix signal lines X1, X2, X3 and X4, as shown in Fig. 6.
  • the address synchronous signals S are of a pulse voltage -Vs, and are applied through the matrix signal lines Y1, Y2, Y3 and Y4 to the matrix 10 in time-division as shown by t1, t2, t3 and t4.
  • the destination address signals A are of a pulse voltage Va larger than a holding voltage Vh, and are applied to selected signal lines among the matrix signal lines X1, X2, X3 and X4 corresponding to selected optical functional devices in each row of the matrix 10 at each time division t1, t2, t3 or t4.
  • a voltage (Va + Vs) obtained by adding the voltage Vs of the address synchronous signal S and the voltage Va of the destination address signal A is applied to the optical functional devices 1011 and 1041.
  • This voltage (Va + Vs) is set to be larger than a threshold voltage Vth which is ordinarily 2 to 5 V, so that the optical functional devices 1011 and 1041 is turned on to shift into the operating state.
  • the optical functional devices 1012, 1022 and 1032, 1023 and 1033, and 1014 and 1034 are turned on to shift into the operating state, respectively, as apparent from the timing chart of Fig. 6. This operating state is held in the optical functional devices thus turned on by the application of a holding voltage of approximately 1.4 V thereto.
  • the information signals I are applied through the matrix signal lines X1, X2, X3 and X4 to the optical functional devices of the matrix 10 in a signal line selected mode at timings as shown in Fig. 6.
  • the information signals I are applied to the matrix signal lines X1 and X2 simultaneously, and to the matrix signal lines X3 and X4 simultaneously.
  • the optical functional devices 1011, 1012 and 1022 emit light signals which are modulated by the respective transmission factors in the device unit 101 of the matrix 10.
  • These light signals thus modulated are received by the light receiving device 201 of the light receiving structure 20, so that the sum of the light signals are obtained therein to be supplied through the output signal line Z1 to the output signal processing circuit 5.
  • the optical functional devices 1014 and 1023 emit modulated light signals in the device unit 102 of the matrix 10.
  • These modulated light signals are received by the light receiving device 202 of the light receiving structure 20, so that the sum of the light signals are obtained therein to be supplied through the output signal line Z2 to the output signal processing circuit 5.
  • modulated light signals emitted from the device units 103 and 104 of the matrix are received by the light receiving devices 201 and 202 of the light receiving structure 20, respectively.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optical Communication System (AREA)
  • Photo Coupler, Interrupter, Optical-To-Optical Conversion Devices (AREA)
  • Photometry And Measurement Of Optical Pulse Characteristics (AREA)
EP90117285A 1989-09-07 1990-09-07 Dispositif d'interconnexion optique Expired - Lifetime EP0416647B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP230438/89 1989-09-07
JP1230438A JPH0394317A (ja) 1989-09-07 1989-09-07 光接続装置

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0416647A2 true EP0416647A2 (fr) 1991-03-13
EP0416647A3 EP0416647A3 (en) 1991-06-05
EP0416647B1 EP0416647B1 (fr) 1994-12-14

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EP90117285A Expired - Lifetime EP0416647B1 (fr) 1989-09-07 1990-09-07 Dispositif d'interconnexion optique

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US (1) US5093875A (fr)
EP (1) EP0416647B1 (fr)
JP (1) JPH0394317A (fr)
CA (1) CA2024771C (fr)
DE (1) DE69015063T2 (fr)

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2716796B2 (ja) * 1989-04-28 1998-02-18 三菱電機株式会社 光コンピユータ
DE4019225A1 (de) * 1990-06-15 1991-12-19 Standard Elektrik Lorenz Ag Optisches schaltelement
JP2705287B2 (ja) * 1990-07-10 1998-01-28 三菱電機株式会社 情報処理素子
JP2591269B2 (ja) * 1990-07-10 1997-03-19 三菱電機株式会社 視覚情報処理素子
US5367584A (en) * 1993-10-27 1994-11-22 General Electric Company Integrated microelectromechanical polymeric photonic switching arrays
KR101974576B1 (ko) * 2012-04-12 2019-05-02 삼성전자주식회사 대면적을 갖는 투과형 광 이미지 변조기 및 그 제조 방법과 투과형 광 이미지 변조기를 포함하는 광학장치

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS60216336A (ja) * 1984-04-12 1985-10-29 Canon Inc 並列光演算装置

Family Cites Families (4)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4227260A (en) * 1978-11-06 1980-10-07 The Singer Company Electronic active star element for an optical data transmission system
US4545077A (en) * 1982-10-29 1985-10-01 Lockheed Corporation Electro-optical data bus
DE3506569A1 (de) * 1985-02-25 1986-08-28 Manfred Prof. Dr. 7900 Ulm Börner Integrierte resonatormatrix zum wellenlaengenselektiven trennen bzw. zusammenfuegen von kanaelen im frequenzbereich der optischen nachrichtentechnik
NO159899C (no) * 1986-03-25 1989-02-15 Kjell Hansen Skjerm for bildefremvisning og/eller -opptak.

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS60216336A (ja) * 1984-04-12 1985-10-29 Canon Inc 並列光演算装置

Non-Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
EXTENDED ABSTRACTS OF THE 21ST CONFERENCE ON SOLID STATE DEVICES AND MATERIALS 28-30 August 1989, pages 433-436, Tokyo, JP; K. KASAHARA et al.: "Vertical to Surface Transmission Electro-Photonic Device for the Application of Optical Interconnection and Processing" *
OPTICS LETTERS vol. 11, no. 4, April 1986, pages 260-262, New York, US; T. YATAGAI: "Optical space-variant logic-gate array based on spatial encoding technique" *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 10, no. 80 (P-441)(2137), 29 March 1986; & JP - A - 60216336 (CANON K.K.) 29.10.1985 *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 3, no. 31 (E-98), 16 March 1979; & JP - A - 5411756 (HITACHI SEISAKUSHO K.K.) 29.01.1979 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA2024771C (fr) 1993-06-29
EP0416647A3 (en) 1991-06-05
JPH0394317A (ja) 1991-04-19
DE69015063D1 (de) 1995-01-26
US5093875A (en) 1992-03-03
CA2024771A1 (fr) 1991-03-08
EP0416647B1 (fr) 1994-12-14
DE69015063T2 (de) 1995-04-27

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